Prince Turki bin Saud bin Mohammed Al-Saud, president of King Abdul Aziz City for Science and Technology (KACST), has announced a new scientific research program for college students and undergraduates at the Kingdom’s universities.
The president made the announcement while inaugurating a workshop on “Support for universities and colleges in research” at KACST headquarters here on Monday.
The prince said that KACST has adopted several initiatives in line with Vision 2030 and the National Transformation Program (NTP) 2020.
He said the city has established a system of scientific research which consists of four main programs to support college students, support basic research, help innovative research and assist a program for industrial innovation centers.
Anas bin Faris, who spoke on KACST initiatives in light of the NTP 2020, said that the city has identified several programs in water, electricity, health and transport to help achieve reduction of government spending on these technologies and strengthen the local market.
KACST has allocated SR263.2 million for 147 research projects within the Kingdom.
In an earlier meeting, it was pointed out that in cooperation with the national plan of the Kingdom to work for a knowledge-based economy, its National Plan for Science, Technology, and Innovation has allocated around 85 percent of its funds for research in mega projects that will benefit both researchers and the Kingdom.
Around 3,200 graduates have participated in various research projects undertaken by KACST. The young researchers involved in the project form a substantial number from the graduate population of the country.
Saudi Arabia has developed a long-term vision of science, technology and innovation (STI) to create a “knowledge-based economy and society through a globally competitive national STI ecosystem,” achieving the Kingdom’s strategic goal of becoming one of the advanced countries in science, technology and innovation by 2025.
Accordingly, a royal decree issued in 1985 directed KACST to “propose a national policy for the development of science, technology, and innovation, in addition to developing the necessary strategy and plan to implement this policy.”
KACST’s achievements in this context began with the development of the National Plan for Science, Technology, and Innovation, which was approved by the Council of Ministers in 2002.
The plan embodies the Kingdom’s vision and its fundamental strategic plans, ensuring the continuous sustained developmental efforts to enhance science and technological ecosystem activities, all while providing a framework of appropriate priorities, options and policies for each planning phase in building the Saudi knowledge-based economy and society.
The National Program for Science, Technology, and Innovation consists of eight strategic programs diverging into a number of projects to be co-executed by all national public and private Saudi economic sectors, so as to ensure the realization of the Kingdom’s long-term vision, which reflects the vision of government.

Source: Arab News